Who has two thumbs and stubs his little toe so hard it breaks right before two Andre Galvao seminars? This guy!
Pain a side I pushed forward on this faithful day when Andre Galvao graced our shores for one gi and one no gi seminar. I have had seminars before with Ryron Gracie and James Smart but they were both from the Gracie Academy so I had no idea what to expect from someone more sports jiu jitsu focused. I had flashes of me heaving and puffing, trying not to throw up as the author of Drill to Win was standing over me saying AGAIN.
Instead I was greeted before the start of the seminar by a friendly smiling face saying thanks for coming. Andre Galvao made a note of shaking everyone's hands before lining us all (+- 50 people) up for a group photo in a matter of seconds in a way that would leave any school photographers everywhere baffled by the simplicity.
Andre Galvao started talking about what we should expect from the seminar and I think it helped a lot to calm everyone's nerves. Or maybe I was the only nervous one. I was amazed at how we had a eight time world champion in front of us talking about basic bjj things. It was like he wanted to start the seminar at white belt level moving its way through the ranks as we progressed. I think everyone learned something new and even though there was one move I couldn't pull off (that ass in the air sweep from butterfly guard one) most techniques were simple yet not something you see everyday. They all linked from each other meaning we all left with more than just techniques, we left with game plans.
I don't want to bore anyone with the details of the seminar, mostly cause I paid for it so the secrets are all mine (evil laughter time). But I will say that I learned a lot of things. Not all technique focused either. I learned we have a pretty sweet bjj community here in Cape Town, seeing new faces and a few I have seen before when while traveling to other clubs for their open mats. Something I want to do more off in the coming months.
Thanks to West Coast bjj for organising the seminars. The lunch was great and everyone was freaked out proper by the black water. Now I need to go find ice for this toe.
